I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to litter boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a litter box that is convertible from a closed configuration for transportation and disposal to an enclosed receptable for use by an animal.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Disposable cat litter boxes that are convertible from a closed, compact configuration for the storage and transport of cat litter and which expand to a fully enclosed configuration for use are well known in the art. The advantages of disposable litter boxes over traditional open and enclosed non-disposable cat litter boxes constructed of rubber or plastic are well-documented. However, existing cat litter boxes of the disposable, convertible enclosed type do not adequately address various issues pertaining to the containment of litter, fecal matter, and urine in the box during use. Other shortcomings include the box's structural integrity, ease of operation, the cat's health and well-being, recycling and environmental issues.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,940,016, 4,792,082, 4,884,527, and 3,581,708 issued to Heath, Williamson, Skirvin (FIGS. 4 and 5 only), and Beck, respectively, disclose litter box assemblies in which the side walls and end walls are not connected in their collapsed state. Rather, the walls are connected through a series of tabs and slots in their erect and enclosed configurations. This type of construction is not as sound as the embodiment in which the side walls and end walls are connected along permanent boundaries. Cats often urinate on the interior walls of enclosed cat litter boxes; and this urine, if directed at the interior corners, could leak through the junctures that are held together by the tabs and slots. Cats are also active within their litter boxes; they dig, bury, kick, and scrape within the box. These activities could also disengage the tabs and slots thus allowing litter, fecal matter, and urine to escape through any gaps in the junctures between the side walls and the end walls.
Another disadvantage to these tab and slot embodiments is that, because the side walls and end walls are not connected in their collapsed state, their interconnection requires coordinating the juncture of the side walls and end walls with a multiplicity of tabs and slots, a difficult feat for one set of hands. These operations must be performed initially to erect the box and also during maintenance of the box since the interior must be accessed daily.
Also, the routine maintenance of the cat litter box has not been fully addressed in the Williamson, Skirvin (FIGS. 1 and 3 , and Beck references: nor is it addressed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,776,300 and 4,800,842, issued to Braddock and Jones, Jr., respectively. Cat care authorities, veterinarians and cat litter manufacturers all strongly recommend that to ensure a cat's health and well-being, fecal matter must be scooped from the litter box daily. Cats are fastidious, and if fecal matter is allowed to accumulate in a litter box over several days, they may rebel and defecate and/or urinate other than in the litter box. Also, parasites reside and proliferate in the fecal matter, and can create an unhealthy environment inside the litter box which in multi-cat households can cause the transference of disease from one cat to another.
Also, even in enclosed cat litter boxes, the regular removal of fecal matter from a disposable cat litter box will extend the duration of its useful life since an excessive buildup of fecal matter can be odiferous. The Skirvin (FIGS. 1 and 3), Beck, Braddock, Williamson, and Jones, Jr. references all disclose litter boxes in which the interiors cannot be easily accessed by pet owners for daily cleaning.
Finally, none of the prior art of record adequately covers environmental and recycling issues. Skirvin, Heath, Williamson, Braddock Beck, and Jones, Jr. all disclose embodiments of cardboard or boxboard that are collapsed and disposed of with the intent of keeping the expired litter and any fecal matter within the enclosure. Recycling laws that are becoming mandatory throughout the country will require that enclosures of this type be recycled. This would require that any such material or object be empty of any foreign matter and compacted. While the litter and fecal matter of the above-mentioned disposable litter boxes could be emptied through entrance portals, ventilation holes or such, none of the apertures were designed for such a function, and, as a result, are imprecise and unwielding, quite possibly resulting in the spillage of contaminated litter and fecal matter during its removal from the disposable box. Other designs require that the box be partially disassembled in order to remove litter and fecal matter. This required step, in addition to its being unwielding and imprecise, also can cause the pet owner to come into contact with contaminated interior surfaces of the litter box.